The subject matter of the present disclosure broadly relates to the art of flooring systems and, more particularly, to flooring assemblies and/or systems that are constructed to extend across a pit, channel or other area while under the weight of a live or static load that is at least temporarily supported thereon. Methods of assembling such flooring systems are also included.
It will be appreciated that flooring panel assemblies, flooring systems and methods of assembly in accordance with the subject matter of the present disclosure may find particular application and use in connection with agricultural installations, will be described herein with specific reference thereto. However, it is to be recognized and understood that the subject matter of the present disclosure is amenable to broad use in a wide variety of applications and environments, and that the specific references herein to agricultural installations are merely exemplary and not intended to be limiting.
Flooring assemblies and/or systems for use in supporting livestock over manure pits, channels and/or other areas are well known and commonly used. Typically, such flooring systems will include grated panels that are supported on frames or sub-structures that extend across the pits, channels and/or other areas. The grated panels permit excrement and other materials to pass through the grated flooring and into the subjacent pit, channel and/or other area, as is well known. In addition to being capable of allowing manure and other matter to reach the subjacent space, it is generally desirable for agricultural flooring systems provide a sturdy and stable surface along and/or across which livestock can move and stand. While grated panels having larger openings may provide improved transfer of excrement and/or facilitate cleaning, openings of greater size can disadvantageously result in a decrease in comfort and an increase in stress of livestock moving and standing on such grated panels. In an attempt to improve the suitability of conventional grated flooring panels, polymeric mats are sometimes installed over top of the grated flooring panels. In some cases, the use of such polymeric mats may improve the comfort and welfare of the livestock. However, the use of such polymeric mats add cost to the operation of a farm or other agricultural facility, and may need to be removed for cleaning, which disadvantageously further increases the cost of use.
Notwithstanding any commercial success of conventional agricultural flooring assemblies and/or systems, it is believed that a need exists to address the foregoing and/or other disadvantages of known constructions while still retaining comparable or, preferably, improving factors such as animal comfort and welfare, cost of installation and/or manufacture, and ease of maintenance. Thus, it is believed to be generally desirable to develop new constructions and/or designs that may advance the art of agricultural flooring assemblies and/or systems.